Pat Ruhland Pat's fight

Today we begin the fight of our lives as we now know Pat has been diagnosed with cancer of the throat.

In late June we noticed a lump on the side of his neck, we now know from having a PET scan and  biopsy of the lymph nodes that it's spread throughout his chest and abdomen  including a lung. Today we met with his oncologist in the hopes off learning a course of treatment but rather we are being referred to a pulmonologist to biopsy the tumor on the lung as well as being referred to U of M for a second opinion.  There is small chance that the tumor on the lung is a separate "lung"cancer from the cancer that is in his throat. If this is the case there will be options for treatment and would be  curable, however if the cancers are the same this means it is a stage IV metastatic carcinoma cancer and there is only chemotherapy  an immuniotherapy treatment to buy a small amount of time. 


Obviously we are going to cling to the hope for the cancers to be different types and that we will be given the chance to beat this.  


We are devastated and will need ALL the  prayers and continued support from ALL our family and friends as we navigate this scary journey.   Please help us keep the faith.